


Always

by xingdom



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Eventual Romance, M/M, Mutual Pining, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-09
Updated: 2018-01-11
Packaged: 2019-03-02 16:19:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13321917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xingdom/pseuds/xingdom
Summary: After returning light to the world and fading into nothing, Noctis is suddenly reset back to the night before the final stand. Through some unknown entity, he's forced to relive his last days over and over. The starting point is never the same, but two things remain constant: Noctis always dies, and Noctis always falls in love with Prompto.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A new story because I have no self-control! More tags to be added as we go along.

This is how he’s always existed. If this is even an existence. He’s not even sure what _he_ is. Wherever this place is, he has no feelings towards it. But again, he’s not sure he ever had any feelings toward anything. It is. And it isn’t.

Then suddenly, it _is_. Nothing becomes everything. His once disembodied consciousness becomes heavier and heavier as atoms fizzle into existence. He raises a pale hand in front of his eyes. The appendages are familiar. A distant memory. Have they always been here? No… just a moment ago he was nothing, and now he’s something. His field of vision changes as jet black strands of hair brush down his forehead and across his eyes. Curiously, he brings his hand to the midnight tuffs and pulls. It’s an odd sensation., slightly uncomfortable, but not entirely so. A warm, burning presence makes itself known inside his core. Like the tug on his hair, it’s a manageable feeling. Just there enough to let him know that existence is becoming something more.

However, just as quickly he realizes he’s becoming something, the burn becomes a white-hot blinding pain. Lips part as a scream is forced from this throat, as if it’s the embodiment of the heat trying to escape his body. Every molecule of his body feels like they’re simultaneously exploding. As his body is breaking, a multitude of images flash through his mind. The king’s send off, retrieving the Regalia, rescuing Prompto, Angelgard, defeating Ardyn…

The white-hot pain is turned off as his back hits a hard surface, knocking this first breath out of him. His left hand flies up to grip at his chest, while the fingers on his right hand grip the soft material he’s lying on. Initially, he thinks that he’s blind, but after a panic-filled 30 seconds, his eyes adjust to the darkness around him.

“Noct? You okay?”

The voice is just as he last heard it. Though a decade has matured the tone, the lilt is still just as playful as it was when the teenaged version of this man approached him. Prompto offers a soft smile to his friend. The lines branching from his light blue eyes show the years of war and uncertainty he’s faced while Noctis was trapped in the crystal.

He tries to wrap his head around what’s happening. Hasn’t this already happened? The last distinctive memory he holds is his father’s sword piercing his heart as he sat upon his rightful throne. But yet, here he was again. Here _they_ are again. Ignis and Gladio both turn their heads towards his direction, their worried expressions illuminated by the campfire between them. Noctis’s heart swells as he recalls the last time he’d laid eyes on them, sending them away so he could fulfill his destiny. The rush of emotions is so overwhelming that Noctis can’t be sure if he’ll cry from the joy of seeing them or from knowing that whatever entity that made this possible had brought him back just to say goodbye to them again.

“E-excuse me,” he chokes out as he leaps to his feet. The sudden motion has the world spinning in his vision for a moment, but he fight it enough to stumble away into the dark. Even in this state, he’s careful not to traverse too far, as not to alert any daemons that might be around. His legs don’t carry him too far, as they’re trembling with each passing worry. He finds himself among a throng of rocks and stoops to sit on the one closest to the ground. Ifrit… Ardyn… he’d have to do it again. Perhaps he should feel some comfort knowing that this is something he’s already accomplished, but knowing everything is a monumental burden he never wished to have. As it is, he resolves to keep this all to himself. The light of a new day awaits his friends. Why drag them into this hurricane when joy was just a few hours away? No, he has to keep quiet. He has to get back to them before they worry more than they already are. Everything has to be the same.

The distinct sound of grass crunching under heavy boots pulls Noctis from his thoughts, and his eyes flick up as Prompto approaches cautiously. Noctis sighs in relief. Typically, Ignis came after him whenever something seemed amiss, but he doesn’t know if he can see the advisor’s damaged eyes, something he still blamed himself for, and act like he wasn’t going through a personal crisis. “I’m glad to see you.” He only wishes he could express exactly how glad he was to see his friend again. Prompto looks regal, even with his Kingsglaive jacket abandoned back at the campfire. Though his muscles has become more toned over the past decade, his figure still remains slim. His mannerisms are less energetic than they used to be. The young adult version constantly walked with a bounce in his step. Even when they had to sneak around Magitek soldiers, his whole demeanor projected a youthful innocence. Now, his steps feel deliberated and guarded.

“Uhhh, I kinda figured that me asking you if you were okay and you running away is a no.” Prompto shuffles forward and perches himself on a rock that’s a little taller than the one Noctis is crouched on. In this position, he’s sitting slightly behind and to the right of his old friend, just within his peripheral. The blonde man let out a breathy laugh. “It was probably a dumb question. I know you’ve made your peace, but still… it must suck.”

For the first time in ages, Noctis genuinely laughs. He could always depend on Prompto to be blunt. Even after years apart, no one knew he as well, and he likes to think that he knows Prompto inside and out. “Yeah, it does suck,” he agrees. He rests his elbows on his knees and rests his forehead on his clasped hands.

They sit in a comfortable silence for a couple of minutes. In an odd way, Noctis wishes the moment won’t pass. Sitting here with Prompto feels so… normal. If he closes his eyes, he can imagine they’re sitting in the Regalia, quiet after Gladio unceremoniously tells them to shut up so he can sleep. After a few childish moments of stifling giggles, they settle into the silence of the car, the sounds of the road under the tires creating a soothing background to their surroundings. When Prompto clears his throat, Noctis slightly turns his head so he can better see his friend.

“I, um. I know you’re probably sick of these serious heart-to-hearts,” he laughs nervously, and traces a finger over the visible barcode on his right wrist. Noctis notes that Prompto’s no longer ashamed of the tattoo that revealed his origin. He can’t remember ever seeing it in all the years they’ve known each other. “But I’ve spent a lot of years kicking myself for hiding things from you. You literally got sucked into the Crystal to save your kingdom… to save me, and I can’t fucking tell you that I love you.”

Noctis’s heart jumps into his throat. The words themselves are something he’s heard from Prompto in the past. After all, no mere acquaintance would dedicate their life to protecting a sully teenager. Prompto is one of few people Noctis has ever explicitly told he loves. But it’s clear that Prompto’s using love in a romantic sense, and Noctis isn’t sure how to feel, having come to the end of his life without a real relationship. But Prompto doesn’t wait for a reply.

“I’m not telling you this cuz I’m hoping for a big romantic moment or anything; I’d like to think I’ve matured from that.” The marksman rests his forearms on his thighs, his position nearly mirroring Noctis’s. “But back then… it never felt like it was the right time. Even now, it doesn’t, but there’s-“ His voice catches. “Our time’s almost up, so I had to say it. And I’d like it if you don’t say anything back. I’d hate for my last memory of you to be rejection. But I don’t think I could handle you feeling the same way. It’s kind of a lose-lose.” Prompto rises to his feet and rests a gloved hand on his best friend’s shoulder. “We should get some sleep. Big day in the morning.” He doesn’t turn back as he makes his way back to camp.

Noctis physically slumps his body closer to the ground as he feels the weight of everything he knows now. Prompto _loves_ him and has apparently loved him for a long time. And it’s not just knowing his best friend’s true feelings for him, it’s the fact that had this… do-ever never happened, Noctis would have never known. Had he not stumbled into the woods by himself, Prompto may have carried the secret to his grave. Honestly, Noctis wishes deep down that the confession had never happened. On his last trip to the throne room, Noctis had considered his friends’ feelings. Just as he feared for their lives everything he was separated from them, he can imagine how they felt being sent away, knowing they would never see them again. In some way, Noctis was the lucky one; death gave him no time to miss the others. But remembering the resigned looks on their faces… And now knowing his best friend sentenced himself to mourning a lost love…

But there’s nothing Noctis can do about it because the story will always be the same.

They return to Insomnia.

Shiva delivers the final blow to Ifrit.

Ardyn’s human form is vanquished.

Noctis dies.

Ardyn is defeated for good.

Noctis fades.

 

 

 

Noctis resets.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis finds himself slammed back into existence for the second time. This time it's a decade before the last time, and he struggles with the realization of all the tragedies he's destined to relive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm trying to keep this as close to canon as possible but let's pretend the prologue doesn't exist.

The blinding pain of being slammed back into consciousness hurts no less the second time around. The only reprieve he has from being brought back to life is that this time his back hits a much softer surface. It still knocks the breath out of him, but he’s able to recover faster than the first time.

Like before, he’s in the dark, but this dark is more familiar than the campsite. This time, he’s in his apartment, sitting on his couch in front of the television. Again, his left hand flies up to press against his sternum, but his right arm is trapped under something, slowly going numb. A quick glance to his right reveals Prompto, slumped into the couch so that his head rests on the back, his head tilted back. This is a familiar scene. Since Prompto’s parents were rarely home growing up, he’d often spend days at a time at Noctis’s apartment. Though an air mattress was always open and available, they usually ended up falling asleep on the couch in front of the television.

This time it seems that they’d at least changed into their sleepwear before passing out. Prompto’s clad in black, chocobo-print pajama pants and a plain, black t-shirt that likely came from his own closet. Honestly, he had so much black in his wardrobe, it was impossible to know what was his. In fact, he’s wearing a similar faded black shirt paired with black, mesh basketball shorts. Before addressing the problem of his arm trapped under the blonde’s back, he takes a moment to try to place exactly where he’s been reset to. Prompto’s youthfulness tells him that this is obviously before his last reset. It’s also clear that they haven’t set off to Altissia.

Prompto shifts and yawns, rolling his head to his left. “You okay, Noct?” Prompto clasps his hands together and pulls them forward to stretch out his shoulders. This gives Noctis the chance to retract his arm from behind his friend’s back. He does his best to subtly shakes his arm to get the blood flowing a little faster before Prompto fully awakens. “Did the movie actually scare you?” Prompto’s tone is meant to be teasing, but his words are thick with sleep. After he’s all stretched out, he swings his legs to the left into Noctis’s lap and lies his head on the couch’s arm.

Noctis smiles slightly. He hopes that the moonlight streaming into the room through the cracked window isn’t enough light to give away how red his face is. The few moments that have passed are nowhere near enough for him to recover from resurrecting. He wills his heart to stop pounding in his chest. “I was just… just thinking.”

“About that girl who tooootally had the hots for me and ignored you?” Noctis raises an eyebrow. With Prompto’s confession still fresh on his mind, he finds it a little difficult to believe. The blonde had been a serial skirt-chaser as long as they’ve been friends. Even though Noctis hasn’t shown much interest in dating, Prompto always makes sure to point out girls, and even guy, who shoot the prince longing glances. To Noctis’s embarrassment, apparently a lot of Insomnia citizens find him to be attractive. Oddly enough, being the center of attention often makes him comfortable, so he tries to divert the attention back to Prompto by pointing out his own affectionate gazes.

Prompto’s type of girl seemed to be ‘one that breathes,’ so it makes Noctis wonder exactly what Prompto sees in _him_. Maybe Prompto just likes everyone. Maybe Prompto doesn’t start to love him until much later. Honestly, it’s a little scary. Growing up, he’d always fear that any friend he’d make would soon found out how unremarkable of a prince he really is. His mind can’t really grasp how Prompto could be this close to him, know almost all of his secrets, and still think of him as someone to love. It’s baffling, and a much as he wants to know, he can’t just ask Prompto. After all, the first time around Noctis never knew, and the second time, he only found out because he walked away from the group.

Noctis isn’t even sure if he should even hint towards Prompto’s supposed affection. He figures there’s a reason he’s being sent back again and again. Maybe he’s supposed to uncover something he missed before. Maybe he’s being sent back to change things. Deeply sighing, Noctis shakes his head. Keeping everything the same is futile anyway as he has no idea where he is in time. “I don’t care too much about it, honestly. Seems like people are more interested in the whole prince thing. I’m sure I’d get the same looks even if I had a gaping hole in the side of my face.”

Prompto shifts uncomfortably and moves his feet out of his friend’s lap. When Noctis works up the nerve to look his friend in the eye, he finds that Prompto has shifted so that they’re face to face, one leg tucked under the other. “I don’t think that’s true. I think even if you weren’t a prince, you’d still be popular. Don’t let it go to your head, but you’re kinda handsome.”

“Kinda?” Noctis can’t help the smirk that creeps onto his face.

“Aaaaanyway.” Prompto fumbles in the dark for his phone and squints when the screen illuminates the room. “It’s 3 in the morning. Gotta be up bright and early. I think I’ll blow up the mattress and try to get some sleep..”

“You can sleep in my bed.” As soon as the words are said, Noctis realizes he may not be the most tactful. “I mean, I’m feeling pretty… awake, and my bed is a lot more comfortable than the air mattress.”

Prompto hums and uses his phone light to stand up and navigate around the furniture in the room. “No objections here, buddy. See ya in the morning.” Once the door to his bedroom is closed, Noctis reaches out for his own phone. He’s eager to figure out just what year he’s in, just how much time he has until he’s sucked into the Crystal again. A deep breath in and out does nothing to help him feel prepared. His finger briefly hovers over the lock button before deciding to just get this part over with.

It’s the day they’re meant to set out for Altissia.

In just a few short hours, he’d be called to stand in front of his father, and-

 _His father._ Noctis feels like he’s being crushed by giant boulder. The last time he ever saw his father, he’d been entirely standoffish. Every single word had been dripping with bitterness stemming from his father cancelling their meeting the day before their journey. From the moment Ignis handed him that newspaper that announced his father’s death, he’d played over the moment again and again. Had he died thinking that his son hated him?

Before he’s aware of his actions, Noctis is at the front door pulling on a pair of sneakers. His palms press into the ground as he attempts to push himself up to his feet. Every single one of his limbs are trembling so much that he feels like an infant trying to hone his motor skills. His mind is fighting itself, telling him to go see his father but also holding him back. What could he do different? Would it do any different to warn his father of Niflheim? Maybe Noctis could stay… they could fight.

Like an infant, Noctis moves onto his hands and knees so he can crawl to his bathroom. He barely makes it before he’s dry heaving into the toilet, sick with grief. His father sent him away knowing it was the only thing that could save Noctis. If Noctis were to stay, he would die beside his father. The light… it would never come back.

He has to let his father die.

When he can finally stop retching, Noctis dissolves into tears. This has to be a punishment, he thinks. It makes sense to him that his death couldn’t make up for the thousands who had given their lives to defend the crown. Maybe he was cursed to live as many lives as the ones that were lost. An equal trade.

As much as Noctis could pass out where he is with his face pressed against porcelain, but he can’t let anybody find him in this position. All his limbs feel too foreign and heavy as he reaches out to flush the toilet and places his hands over the lip of the sink to pull himself up. There’s no way he sleep with his mind constantly racing, so he decides to take the next few hours to figure out what he should do. First things first, he examines himself in the mirror. Noticing how red his eyes have gotten from crying, he recalls Prompto’s earlier comment. “Handsome,” he scoffs. Noctis is aware he’s good-looking, but he always thought he was a plain kind of attractive. Unlike his retinue, he doesn’t think he has any striking features that would elevate his looks to handsome. But it doesn’t matter too much, he supposes; he’s not destined to have a family anyway.

Hours later, when the sun is finally rising, Noctis is looking through his things. Knowing that he’ll never come back to this place, holding onto all this stuff feels silly. Over the years, he’s collected volumes of comic books that he’s never even read. He briefly considers packing them up for Prompto to have, but he doesn’t know how he would explain the sudden gift. He’s not supposed to know that they won’t be returning to Insomnia. Sighing, he picks out a series that looks interesting and opens up the first volume. No time like the present to read them.

Ignis arrives a little past 7 and sighs when he sees his charge sitting cross-legged on the floor, still in his sleepwear and halfway through his second series. “Is it even necessary to ask if you’ve fully prepared?” Noctis jumps when he notices the advisor and sheepishly gathers the comic books strewn about him. Leave it to Ignis to often make him feel like an insolent child.

“Sorry, Specs. I couldn’t sleep, so I did a little reading.”

Ignis blankly stares at him for a few seconds. “That I can see.” Proper as always, Ignis doesn’t say anything more to scold Noctis and crouches down to neatly put the comic books away. “Anyhow, there’s no undoing the past. I’ll tidy this up and start breakfast if you’d kindly gather your things.”

“Y-yeah. Sorry.” He clambers off the ground and watches for a moment as Ignis cleans his mess. He has to resist the instinct he has to keep apologizing to Ignis, but he realizes how silly it would be as Ignis hasn’t even lost his vision yet. Instead, he does as he told and quietly enters his bedroom as not to disturb Prompto. The blonde is still asleep, laying face down and spread eagle. Noctis figures he should wake him up, but it can wait a little since Prompto came over with all his things ready to go. From the way the bed is positioned, Prompto’s face is visible and his peacefulness has a deep jealousy bubbling. Jealous that Prompto had no idea what their journey would hold for them. He’d like to go back to that moment. At the very least, Noctis figures he can undo some mistakes. He’d try to find a way to get to the crystal without Ardyn’s help. Without Prompto becoming bait.

Noctis sighs and shakes his head. He finally crosses over to his closet to determine what he should bring. Most of the places they’d travelled to had been unexpectedly hot, so he picks out a different outfit than before to keep cool when the time comes.

“Uuuuugh.” The lump in the bed shifts and stretches out his limbs. “Why am I awaaaaake.”

“Because we have to leave in less than an hour.”

“Shit!” Prompto literally leaps up and presses himself against the headboard when he realizes he’s not alone. When he realizes it’s just Noctis he whines and screws his eyes shut. “Duuude. Don’t creep on me when I’m sleeping. You just scared, like, 5 years off my life.”

Noctis laughs. “So much for that self-defense training, huh?” Prompto weakly shoots the prince a middle finger and flops onto his side. “Iggy’s here. He’s making breakfast, so we should probably be ready soon.” Since he’s already at the closet, Noctis takes out Prompto’s Crownsguard uniform and throws it onto the bed. Though he tries not to, it’s hard for Noctis to not stare at his friend. They’d barely reunited before Noctis was trapped in Crystal, so he oddly still misses him. In a way he feels he has to memorize every detail, so he can avoid pushing Prompto off the train again. Hopefully, they can avoid the train entirely. Prompto doesn’t seem to notice that his friend is carefully watching him as he pulls on his tank top. When his fingers touch the sweatband on his wrist, he nervously glances back at Noctis, who pretends to be struggling with his jacket. It doesn’t seem that Noctis has been caught, but Prompto still turns his body away to quickly secure his leather wristband. Hmm. Noctis wonders how he never noticed that before.

“All ready!” Prompto announces. Noctis fully turns around to see his best friend striking a triumphant pose with both his fists resting on his hips. “Well, my breath is pretty rank and my hair probably looks like a nest, but ready enough.” He bends over slightly to grab his bandana from the bed and holds it out to Noctis. “Can you help me with this? I could do it myself, but I kinda like telling a prince what to do.” Noctis huffs and holds his arm out to flick the blonde on his forehead. Prompto dodges it in time and blows morning breath into Noctis’s face.

“Oh Six, that is rank.” He waves a hand in front of his face to dispel the scent and snatches the bandana from Prompto’s hand. The sooner he helps, the sooner Prompto will brush his teeth. The moment the cloth is secured around the blonde’s bicep, Noctis playfully shoves him away. “Please go brush your teeth, and maybe just drink the mouthwash.” Prompto swats at Noctis’s hand but exits the room to finish getting ready.

Noctis tries not to think to much about Prompto’s confession because it makes him feel too much like a high schooler pondering if someone has a crush on him. At least in high school, the answer was usually yes and he could brush it off since he didn’t care too much for his classmates, but with Prompto… it’s confusing. What could he have possibly done to make Prompto like him? He groans and rubs his face with both his hands. He told himself not to constantly dwell on this. Besides, he has to say his final goodbyes to his father soon.

He flexes his fingers. He can do this.

He repeats the words to himself when he later finds himself standing in front of the throne room’s guarded door. His internal conflict of emotions doesn’t seem to be noticeable as both Gladio and Ignis are postured professionally but still seem comfortable going before the throne. In contrast, Prompto is nervously swaying side to side, fists turning white from how hard he’s squeezing them at his side.

“Ready?” Gladio asks in his gruff voice.

Noctis swallows and nods. “Yeah.”

The guards swing the doors open.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't going to post today; in fact, I'm still 800 words behind my daily word count, but it was either stop here or write a 12k word chapter. Comments and kudos are greatly appreciated and make me feel warm and fuzzy inside :D


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After saying goodbye to his father for the second time, the 4 men make their way to Galdin Quay, with a couple of pit stops.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woooah, look at me updating all timely. I'm on a bit of a writing spree as I'll be taking a little trip next week.

King Regis wears a stern expression as his son and retinue approach the throne. He was always better than Noctis was at staying regal no matter the situation. Seeing his son off to be married requires no less professionalism than receiving diplomats. The man before Noctis usually seems tired and burdened whenever they meet, but now he looks determined. He looks ready.

“The decreed hour is come.”

The prince casts his eyes to the ground and smiles sadly. His father must have spent hours preparing what to say. How to say goodbye.

“Set forth with my blessing, Prince Noctis.” 

Noctis bows as he’s expected to. “Thank you…” _Dad._ “Your Majesty.”

The King’s eyes soften a bit at his son’s hesitation. “Take your leave, and go in the grace of the gods.”

The grace of the gods? If they were the ones doing this to him, Noctis can’t be sure how graceful they are. “Right.”

The first time around, Noctis remembers storming out, leaving his retinue speechless and leading his father to hobble off the throne to speak to him. This time, he pauses. He wonders if he should say something to his father. There’s a chance the King knows something about what’s happening to Noctis. Maybe his father had to suffer the same fate.

“Son…” Regis’s posture droops a bit as he easily switches from King mode to dad mode. “I fear I have left too much unsaid. You place a great burden on those who would bear with you.”

Noctis laughs humorlessly. “Yeah.”

Regis’s next words are addressed to the three standing behind the young prince. ‘I ask not that you guide my wayward son, merely that you remain at his side.

Ignis bows deeply. “Indeed, Your Grace.”

“We’ll see the prince to Altissia if it’s the last thing we see.” Noctis winces slightly at Gladio’s words.

“Yeah, what he said,” Prompto chimes in. Noctis smiles. His expression quickly turns as his father rises from the throne and struggles down the long curved staircase. 

“And another thing.” Gladio looks like he’s about to run forward to help but stops himself when he sees Drautos is following closely behind. It only takes Regis a minute to reach them, but it feels like a lifetime as he limps over to his only son. “Do mind your manners around your charming bride-to-be.”

Noctis nods dumbly. He thinks before he said the same to his father regarding Niflheim, but he can’t bring himself to say it, knowing what’s soon to transpire. Instead, he reaches out to squeeze his father’s shoulder. He hopes the King can’t feel the way his hand is trembling. “Of course.”

King Regis regards his son. Noctis isn’t sure what to make of it. “Take heed. Once you set forth, you cannot turn back.”

“Is that so.”

At first, Noctis thinks he’s mistaking the knowing glint is his father’s eyes. But there’s no mistaking his father’s sad expression as he reaches a hand to his shoulder to squeeze his son’s hand. “Walk tall, my son.”

* * *

The encounter with King Regis occupies Noctis’s mind as they set off on the road. Fortunately, he’s not to distracted to suggest stopping by Hammerhead to quickly check the car. He’d rather not push the Regalia if it can be avoided. When Cindy tells them that they came just in time or they would have been stranded, Ignis shoots him a look that Noctis pointedly avoids.

“Lucky us, huh?” Prompto comments. He beams at Cindy. Any other time, Noctis would bluntly tell his best friend that he’s being cheesy, but he can only watch, curious. He wonders if Prompto ever acted on his obvious crush during the decade Noctis slept. For someone so girl crazy, Prompto didn’t seem to have much luck with the ladies. It’s surprising considering his looks, but then again, the blonde tended to become very self-conscious when someone got too close. Gladio and Ignis still made him slightly nervous even after hanging around them for 5 years.

Noctis zones out as he thinks of the journey ahead of them. If he’s getting a do-over, he might as well fix what he can. Of course, there’s the big things like not letting Ardyn help them and preventing Ignis from going blind, but there’s the little things, too. They’d go visit Iris earlier; the worried look on Gladio’s face had never left until they saw her in person. They could also go to the Chocobo Ranch a little earlier. Prompto almost cried the first time they arrived, and maybe he wouldn’t sing that damn song so much if they stopped by sooner.

When he’s done spacing out, he realizes that his retinue has walked away to wait for the car to be repaired. Gladio and Prompto have wondered off toward the diner. From Prompto’s embarrassed expression, it’s clear that he didn’t restrain from telling the marksman how awkward he is around women. No matter the numerous tips Gladio’s always giving, Prompto can never get past the initial nerves he has when he approaches a girl. Ignis, the one he’s looking for, is standing near the street, tapping away on his phone. Once Noctis approaches, Ignis locks his phone and tucks it into a pocket inside his jacket.

“Hey, Specs. Could we maybe make a pit stop at the chocobo stable in Duscae?”

Ignis regards him with the same odd look he’d given the young prince when they discovered the Regalia was close to breaking down. “And just how are you so aware of what lies outside Insomnia?”

Noctis again avoids the look his oldest friend is giving him. “I do have a phone, y’know.”

“Yes, but-“ Ignis shakes his head and pulls his phone back out. “I’m afraid we’re on a tight schedule. The car repairs have already set us back a couple of hours. Perhaps once we’re in Altissia a local could point us towards a chocobo ranch, or once we’ve returned from your honeymoon.”

“I mean, we’re already late so,” Noctis rubs the back his neck with his gloved hand. “What’s a couple more hours.”

The sandy-haired advisor sighs and pulls out his phone again. “I’ll see what can be done. The wedding ceremony isn’t for a week, so it’s possible to take a short detour.” Noctis watches as Ignis taps away on his phone, doing his best to accommodate his charge. The raven haired prince doesn’t realize he’s staring pretty hard at the taller man until he shoots him a glare. “Please give me a few minutes.”

“Yeah, of course,” he replies, but he lingers to stare at Ignis’s eyes. They’re a handsome emerald green. He’d only gotten a brief glimpse of Ignis’s eyes right after he was blinded, and they’d had already started glazing over. The once striking green was slowly fading into a dull grey.

“Perhaps you’d like to switch places with Prompto as it seems you enjoy staring at me so much.”

“Huh? Oh…” Noctis mutters an apology and walks away to find something to occupy himself. He decides to head to the diner to grab a bite to eat with Gladio and Prompto. When he gets inside, the two are already sitting in a booth with their meals and don’t notice Noctis walking in. While he leans over the counter, browsing the menu, he listens to their conversation.

“-ain’t got to be scared of ‘em. Sure, your face is a little girly, but there’s some girls who are into that.”

Prompto mumbles something that sounds like ‘I’m not girly.’

“Uh huh, sure, kid. I think all you need is to get laid,” Prompto chokes on whatever he’s eating. “Once you get your first time over and done with, you won’t be so weird about just talking to ‘em.” Noctis grabs a bottle of ketchup of the counter and walks over to the booth. Both men jump a little when he slams the bottle on the table between them in slides in next to Prompto. “Can we help you?” Gladio asks in an amused voice.

“Just thought you could use some ketchup with your...” he looks at the meals in front of them. _Shit._ “Uh, with your chili.” 

Prompto’s flushed face breaks into a relieved grin when he realizes he doesn’t have to continue his awkward conversation with the shield. “Awww, always looking for us.”

“We’re eating chili,” Gladio deadpans. Noctis shrugs. “And there’s already ketchup on the table.”

“I need to talk to Prompto quick sec, if you don’t mind.”

Gladio shrugs and downs the rest of his bowl. “I’ll pay on my way out. Don’t stay here too long though, lovebirds.” 

Noctis glares at the back of the shield’s head and crosses his arms across his chest. “Sorry about Gladio. He’s been doing the same thing to me for two years.” He picks up the ketchup bottle and starts mindlessly squeezing it into Gladio’s empty bowl. “He tells me about a girl he can set me up with. I say no. Then he tells me about a guy he can set me up with. I s-“

“Wait, he tried to set you up with guys?”

“Um, well, he said he didn’t want me to embarrass myself on my wedding night or whatever. And he wasn’t really sure what I was really into so.” Noctis sets the ketchup down and pushes the bowl away. “But, um, that’s just how Gladio is. If you want him to stop, just let him know you’re serious and he will.”

Prompto seems to have lost his appetite as he pushes the beans around in his bowl. “It doesn’t bother me too much. Gladio’s trying to help.”

“Yeah. He’s right, y’know. You don’t have to worry about girls liking you. You’re pretty likeable.” Noctis feels his face tart to warm up, so he slides out of the booth. “I’m gonna go find Iggy. He should have updates on the car.” Prompto nods and grins at his friend, but it’s clear something on his mind. The young prince doesn’t really want to stick around long enough to find out, so he walks out of the diner.

* * *

Sticking to his true nature, Noctis manages to fall asleep a few minutes after they leave Hammerhead. To his credit, he’d gotten no sleep the night before, and some of his anxiety had faded enough for him to feel tired. The conversation the other three are carrying on is also comforting. It’s nice to feel normal for a little bit. It feels like he just closed his eyes when a shout wakes him up.

“Dude, no way!” Noctis cracks his eyes open to see Prompto practically standing in his seat. “Iggy, you’re the best!”

Ignis takes his right hand off the wheel to pull the overexcited blonde back into his seat. “I’m merely the driver. This was all Noct’s idea.”

Prompto turns to Noctis with stars in his eyes. If Ignis’s right hand wasn’t still gripping his arm, he looks like he may have leapt over the seats to hug his friend. “You are my most favorite person in the world. I’m gonna get you the best wedding present ever. I mean, it’ll have to wait until after your honeymoon, cuz honestly, I didn’t get you anything. But, dude… just wait.”

Noctis smiles slightly and stretches his arms over his head. “No big deal.”

Ignis doesn’t release Prompto until he stops in front of the ranch and has to move his hand to put it into park. Prompto is just a flash of blonde as he throws the car door open and starts to run to the entrance. He seems to remember mid-run that he’s Crownsguard and forces himself to stop and wait for the others, but his excitement is clear in the way he bounces on his toes. Noctis laughs to himself and slaps Prompto on the back before breaking into a run. “I get first pick!” he announces.

“What?! No fair! I’ve never ridden a chocobo before!” Prompto takes off after him, and even with the head start, he beats Noctis to the front.

Noctis can’t help but smile as Prompto excitedly stutters through a request to pick out a chocobo to ride. Because they’re so early in the timeline, Deadeye doesn’t need to be dealt with quite yet, and they’re free to pick out the birds they want to ride. Even though he’s never see a chocobo in person, Prompto takes a while to pick out his bird. Several times, he mumbles something about how the one he’s looking at ‘doesn’t feel right,’ but he doesn’t try to explain what he means. He finally settles on one that, to Noctis, looks the same as all the others but he seems satisfied as Wiz settles it up and shows how to mount it. The young prince is just fiend with watch Prompto play around, but the blonde whines until Noctis picks out his own chocobo.

They don’t have long to ride as Ignis reminds them several times, (Ignis Scientia does _not_ like to be late) but Prompto still has the time of his life in the short time they have. At some points, Noctis isn’t sure if his friend is laughing or crying or a weird combination of both, but he doesn’t bring it up. He seems composed when they finally have to leave. Though, he does whisper promises to return when he dismounts his chosen chocobo.

“That’s it,” Prompto speaks out when they all settle in the Regalia again. “Life is downhill from this moment.” He dramatically slumps down in his seat.

“We can always come back,” Noctis reassures.

“Is that before or after your honeymoon,” Gladio sarcastically drawls. Noctis doesn’t answer and mirrors Prompto’s posture.

The ride to Galdin Quay feels too short. Noctis drifts off around the time Prompto is swearing up and down that he felt a spiritual connection back on the ranch, and when he wakes up, the radio is on and Gladio’s humming along to the song. Noctis hates to think about how the mood will change in the morning, but for now, he tries to enjoy the comfortable silence between them.

“We’ve arrived,” Ignis announces as they pull into the resort’s parking lot. Noctis rubs the sleep from his eyes. He’s already eager to sleep in a real bed. “If I’m correct, we should be on time to board the final ferry to Altissia. I’m going ahead to secure the tickets. Please take care of any matters before we leave.”

Noctis drags his feet as he follows his retinue out to the pier. Part of his sluggishness is from fatigue and part is from knowing the boat won’t be there. He can save himself a few steps and maybe Dino won’t ask for the gem he wants. Luckily, the man seems to be long gone as Ignis isn’t at the pier very long. “It appears we’ve missed the ships for today. Shall we acquire a room for the night?”

Gladio groans and folds his arm across his chest. “Guess we have no choice. But hey, Noct, I brought the camping equipment if you feel like roughing it for a night.” Noctis gives the shield a sleepy, blank stare.

“A room it is,” Ignis confirms.

Twenty minutes later, Noctis is lying face down on his and Prompto’s king bed. The young prince may have whined a bit to get Ignis to agree to get two adjoining rooms instead of just the one they usually did. While Noctis is used to his two retainers sticking close on official business trips, he thinks it may make Prompto feel a little uncomfortable. And besides, they were going to be up close and personal for most of their journey. 

From behind him, Noctis hears Prompto emerge from the bathroom where he was taking a shower. When the left side of the bed dips, Noctis rolls onto his side to make room for his friend. For a moment, he takes in Prompto’s sleepwear, sweatpants and the same shirt that Noctis is sure is his, and briefly considers taking a shower and changing into his own sleepwear. Laziness wins, and Noctis just shimmies out of his jacket and pants. That will have to do.

“No offense, Noct, but your smell could wake the dead.” Noctis considers making Prompto go sleep in the other room so he doesn’t have to shower, but he eventually rolls off the bed and shuffles to the shower. And while he may have given in to getting in the shower, he makes little effort to wash properly. He halfheartedly rubs a bar of soap over his skin then stands under the shower head for a while until the water starts to turn cold. He doesn’t even make much effort to dress after his shower and settles with just boxers and a t-shirt.

Prompto is already lightly snoring in bed when Noctis emerges from his sort-of-shower. Most of the lights are out except for the lamp on Noctis’s side of the bed. The prince feels like he can’t get into bed fast enough and nearly trips on his discarded boots on the way to bed. He’s able to catch himself on the end of the bed, but the sudden motion wakes Prompto from his light sleep. “Hmm?”

“Sorry.” Noctis keeps his voice low, not wanting to startle the blonde even more. He quickly walks around to his side of the bed and turns off the lamp as he slips under the blankets. “Night, Prom.”

The other man hums his reply and falls silent, apparently haven’t drifted back to sleep. Noctis is almost there himself, admittedly an easy feat, when Prompto speaks into the dark room. “Hey, Noct?” It’s Noctis’s turn to hum his response. “Earlier… at the diner? Well, we’ve never really talked about your type or anything…” Noctis perks up a little. “I just… you can tell me anything. I could never judge you or stop being your friend over anything. A-anyway, night.” Again, he falls silent, but his breath never evens out to his usual light snores. After an awkwardly long time, Prompto rolls onto his side, facing away from him. Noctis stares at his back until he drifts off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know if I'm going waaaay too slow. I can be terribly long winded sometimes.
> 
> Thank you for all the kudos and comments. They still make me feel warm and fuzzy inside. :D

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed reading! This story is way less planned than my other one, but I plan to spend a little time each day writing this one a la NaNoWritMo.
> 
> Please leave kudos/comments if you liked it!
> 
> Or if you hated it and want me to quit :P


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